Re: What Wee Dram are you enjoying now?

Well I ran out of all my Islay single malts. And the only single malt I have remaining is a Glenlivet 16yr Nadurra. Ever since discovering the Islay single malts I've found most other non-Islay single malts to be merely "meh." I like this particular Glenlivet better than the 15yr French Oak, which I like better than the standard 12yr. But for me, as a scotch, I guess I just want that smoke and peat! Probably have to break down and buy another bottle of my favorite here soon, Laphroaig 10yr.

Re: What Wee Dram are you enjoying now?

Originally Posted by Clavius

Well I ran out of all my Islay single malts.

I decided that I could never fully appreciate the force without at least exploring the dark side so over the past few weeks picked up a few SMS's - thanks to the search function at SB - and I've been impressed. I won't be switching sides completely, but what impresses me are the wide variety of tastes available without the hunt that's sometimes involved with bourbon. I'm not going to go hog wild with purchases (honest) but now I can appreciate where you guys are coming from. A few thoughts...

Balvenie Doublewood - first one purchased - I get lots of carmel, vanilla, and honey. Mild and smooth - great for after dinner. The dark side is seductive in this one.

Speyburn 10 - mixed reviews on here but I found it to be a good basic SMS with some nice sweet notes at a very reasonable price. Not complex, but hey.

Highland Park 12 - Lots to taste here - I can see having this in stock at all times. I understand the balanced comments - and I like the hints of smoke so I had to make one more purchase...

Ardbeg Uigealail - Wow - I can smell the bandaids but it doesn't matter because I'm at a pig roast! The nose on this one even changed in the glass between the pour and the finish. Strong, complex, sweet, then spicy, smokey bbq. I can't wait to see how this one evolves as the bottle ages a bit - and my palate evolves. I like this one - a lot.

So not a full fledged apprentice but I'm enjoying. Any other must-have suggestions are always appreciated.

Re: What Wee Dram are you enjoying now?

Originally Posted by Wall Eye

I decided that I could never fully appreciate the force without at least exploring the dark side so over the past few weeks picked up a few SMS's - thanks to the search function at SB - and I've been impressed. I won't be switching sides completely, but what impresses me are the wide variety of tastes available without the hunt that's sometimes involved with bourbon. I'm not going to go hog wild with purchases (honest) but now I can appreciate where you guys are coming from. A few thoughts...

Balvenie Doublewood - first one purchased - I get lots of carmel, vanilla, and honey. Mild and smooth - great for after dinner. The dark side is seductive in this one.

Speyburn 10 - mixed reviews on here but I found it to be a good basic SMS with some nice sweet notes at a very reasonable price. Not complex, but hey.

Highland Park 12 - Lots to taste here - I can see having this in stock at all times. I understand the balanced comments - and I like the hints of smoke so I had to make one more purchase...

Ardbeg Uigealail - Wow - I can smell the bandaids but it doesn't matter because I'm at a pig roast! The nose on this one even changed in the glass between the pour and the finish. Strong, complex, sweet, then spicy, smokey bbq. I can't wait to see how this one evolves as the bottle ages a bit - and my palate evolves. I like this one - a lot.

So not a full fledged apprentice but I'm enjoying. Any other must-have suggestions are always appreciated.

Rich

Nice pick-ups, Rich. You came out of the gate strong and selected some real winners. Balvenie's entire line is excellent, IMO, and the DoubleWood has been a favorite around here for years, especially after a nice meal, as you noted. Highland Park 12 and Ardbeg U. are classics in my book and reveal more and more with each tasting. And Speyburn 10 is actually a pretty serviceable budget malt and better than most people realize. It won't knock your socks off, but then it doesn't have to. When you want a tasty pour and don't want to spend much time analyzing what's in the glass, Speyburn is a decent one to reach for. You may want to check out Aberlour 16 when you get the chance. It's a real beauty and another great post-meal gem at a fairly reasonable price. Have fun!

"I distrust a man who says 'when.' He's got to be careful not to drink too much, because he's not to be trusted when he does." Sydney Greenstreet